


The Day We Saved The Earth

by Ellienerd14



Category: Carry On - Rainbow Rowell, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: AU where Penny is a companion, Episode: s05e01 The Eleventh Hour, F/F, Sci-Fi AU, Side Pegatha, This lived in my drafts for like a year whoops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-04-21 03:48:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14276277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellienerd14/pseuds/Ellienerd14
Summary: Penelope Bunce first met the Doctor at only eight years old, a man who crashed from the stars and made a promise he never kept. Eleven years later, her childhood friend returns, bringing dangers that had been lurking in her house for over a decade.~The Doctor grinned. "Oh, that is a brilliant name. Penelope Bunce. Like a name from a fairy tale."Penelope crinkled up her nose. "I don't like fairy tales."





	1. The Day The Doctor Came

Penelope's Mum has insisted that the crack was nothing special. That it was just an ordinary crack and she should just go to sleep. Usually her Mum was right. She had fancy science degrees and understood gravity and quantum physics. But Penelope knew that the crack couldn't be just ordinary. It made funny noises at night. Ordinary cracks didn't make any noise. Ordinary cracks didn't talk to her in foreign tongues.    
  
The crack was keeping her awake again; Penelope could have sworn it was glowing earlier.    
  
"Dear God, I know that you’re so busy. But to be honest, it is an emergency. There's a crack in my wall." Penelope opened her eyes and glanced over at crack anxiously, as if it could hear her. "Mummy said that it was an ordinary crack. But, I know she's wrong because at night there's funny voices that always sound scary. If you're real, could you send someone to fix it for me please?"    
  
A weird noise, like groaning cut off Penelope's train of thought. It wasn't the same noise from the crack. In fact it wasn’t coming from the crack at all - it was sourced from their garden.    
  
Penelope rushed to the window, standing on her tiptoes to look out and find what was making the noises. Usually her new garden was overgrown, bare and boring. The only thing of interest of it was a small shed that she sometimes read in. But now there was a dark blue box, surrounded by smoke.    
  
Penelope grabbed a torch and pulled on her new coat. She was glad her Mum had insisted on buying it now. She didn't want to meet God in second-hand Batman pyjamas and wellies alone.    
  
The box was dark blue and now she was closer, Penelope could make out some words on the side. The box was on its side, crashed onto the old garden shed.    
  
Penelope took a steady step towards the box, trying to read the writing on the side. With a creak, the door flew open, causing her to freeze and scramble back in panic. A second later, a grappling hook was thrown out, hooking onto the tree. Penelope pinched her wrist, trying to wake herself up.    
  
There was a voice coming from inside the box. A man's voice. Penelope wasn't sure whether to move closer or step away. Before she could decide, a tall man in a tattered suit clambered out and dusted himself off.    
  
Penelope could feel her eyes widening under her glasses and took a tiny, curious step closer. He was sitting on the edge of his box, too focused on the inside to notice Penelope's staring.    
  
"Look at that. Bit of a mess, isn't she?"     
  
Penelope shined the torch at the stranger. He had a kind face and dimples. She loved dimples. Her best friend had dimples that were freckle-covered and always smiling. This stranger reminded him of Simon. 

“Hello. Are you okay? Is your box broken?"    
  
The man smiled at her in a friendly way. "Just had a fall. Not sure about the TARDIS."    
  
Penelope tried to get a better look at the mysterious box. "Why are you wet? Why did you name the box?"    
  
The man smiled at her. "You ask a lot of questions, don't you?"    
  
"Mummy says questions are good." Penelope leaned over to read the writing on the box. "Are you a policeman?"    
  
"Did you call a policeman?"   
  
"I prayed for one. Does that count?" Penelope leaned forward curiously as the man played with a little blue light. "Then are you an angel? And did God send you about the crack in my wall?"   
  
He tilted his head. "Does it scare you?"    
  
Penelope thought back to all the nightmare she had about the voices whispering to her and the crack sucking her up.    
  
"Yes,” she admitted in a small voice.    
  
"Well then, I'll help you out. I'm the Doctor."    
  
She offered him a tiny hand to shake. "Penelope Bunce."    
  
The Doctor grinned. "Oh, that is a brilliant name. Penelope Bunce. Like a name from a fairy tale."    
  
Penelope crinkled up her nose. "I don't like fairy tales."    
  
"Why's that Penelope?"   
  
"Girls don't get any of the fun parts. It's all boring for them, getting stuck in places and sleeping. If I was in a fairy tale, I'd want a pet dragon but only boys get them."    
  
"Penelope, I've seen girls fight dragons and save them,” the Doctor said. "You're not scared of dragons, are you?” 

She shook her head. “No.” 

“But, you're scared of this crack on your wall?"   
  
Penelope looked up at him with big, hopeful eyes. "Can you fix it?"    
  
"I'm the Doctor. I can fix anything." He leaned down so Penelope could look into his eyes. They seemed wise and out of place on his young face. "I'll help you Penelope. You're safe with me. Always."    
  


* * *

  
Penelope stepped slightly behind the Doctor. The funny crack on her wall was sinister at the best of times but now it seemed more scary to her than ever.    
  
The Doctor didn't seem to have any fear, examining the wall with a funny blue torch.    
  
"There's something strange about this crack,” the Doctor told her.    
  
Penelope bit her lip. "What’s strange about it?"    
  
"It's all timey-wimey."    
  
Penelope crossed her arms. "You don't have to dumb it down for me. I'm going to be a scientist when I'm older. Just like my Mummy."    
  
"You know what's the odd thing about this crack is Penelope?" The little girl shook her head. "If you knocked this wall down, the crack would stay put, because the crack isn't in the wall. Want to hear something impossible?"    
  
She grinned. "What?"   
  
"This crack - it's where parts of space and time that should never have touched, pressed together."    
  
"Are the voices aliens then?" Penelope asked, taking a cautious step away from the wall, just to be careful. 

"Voices?” the Doctor repeated. 

"They always say the same thing. 'Prisoner Zero has escaped.' What does it mean?"    
  
The Doctor frowned in the same way Professor Bunce did when she was stuck on a problem. "On the other side of this wall, there's a prison and they've lost a prisoner."    
  
"A prisoner?" Penelope shifted behind the man. "Will it hurt me?"    
  
"I can fix it," the Doctor hesitated, "hopefully."    
  
The Doctor reached out for Penelope's hand and held out his torch at the crack. Penelope squeezed her eyes shut tightly as the crack widened, filling her tiny bedroom bright light.    
  
"Prisoner Zero has escaped." 

Penelope risked opening up herself eyes and took in the sight of a giant blue eye now looking at them.    
  
"Hello?" The Doctor said, playing with the blue light which buzzed in a high pitch that hurt her ears.

Penelope chewed on her lip. The Doctor didn't seem afraid of the alien. "Is that Prisoner Zero?" she whispered.    
  
"I think that it's Prisoner Zero's guard." Her bedroom was temporally filled with blinding blue light and the crack shut quickly. "It sent me a message."    
  
"What message?" Penelope stood on her tiptoes, trying to read the paper.    
  
"Prisoner Zero has escaped."    
  
Penelope shook her head. "But we know that bit. Why tell us again?"    
  
The Doctor's smiling face suddenly changed. "Maybe Prisoner Zero escaped to here."    
  
"But, he couldn't have,” Penelope protested. "It's just me and Mummy here. No one else, not even my siblings."    
  
"There must be something that I'm missing."    
  
Penelope looked around her bedroom. It looked the same as usual, filled with clutter and mess. The Bunce's were untidy. "Is he invisible?"     
  
"I don't think so." The Doctor hit his forehead. "I'm missing something. Anything."    
  
"Is it safe here?" Penelope asked, still looking around. It looked safe at least. And the crack was quiet for the first time. 

"Of course,” the Doctor told her. Penelope didn't quite believe him. Adult always lied to her.    
  
"How do-" Any of her questions were cut off by a strange noise. "Is that Prisoner Zero?"    
  
"It's the TARDIS!" The Doctor started hurrying down the stairs. Penelope followed him as fast as she could. "I've got to get back in there. She's going to burn!"    
  
"Your box?"    
  
"My time machine." The Doctor pushed open her back door and sprinted to his TARDIS.    
  
"Time machines aren't scientifically possible,” Penelope yelled, running after the Doctor. Her boots were starting to leave muddy footprints in the halls but she didn't care.    
  
"The TARDIS is a time machine. But, she's breaking. I need to go on a trip and fix her." They had reached the TARDIS down, which was making strange groans.    
  
"A trip?" Penelope looked down at the machine.  "Can I come? Please? I love adventures."    
  
"Not safe yet." He crouched down so they were face to face. "Give me five minutes, okay? I'll be back."    
  
"Promise?" Penelope held out her hand for him to shake.    
  
"Trust me, I'm the Doctor." 

Penelope reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a red rubber ball. Her friend Simon had given her it.    
  
"Take this." The Doctor pocketed it. "Now you have to come back to see me again to give it back."    
  
"I will. Five minutes." The Doctor kissed her head and then picked up his rope from earlier and dived into the TARDIS. A few moments later it made the familiar wheezing noises from earlier and vanished. The only proof that the Doctor was ever there was a now-destroyed shed.    
  
Penelope ran back into the house, trekking mud all over the stairs. She packed her favourite comics and snacks and pulled on jeans instead of her pajamas bottoms. Penelope hurried back outside and sat on her suitcase, a map tucked under her arm. She stared eagerly at the space where the TARDIS had crashed - ready to wait five more minutes for the Doctor to return.

 

* * *

 

She waited all night.


	2. The Day We Found The Ragedy Doctor

As it turned out, Penny did not react well when surprised. Not that _surprised_ really covered it. Maybe she was having a mental breakdown that would require further therapy. _'I saw a guy who looked like my childhood imaginary friend and hit him with a bad. Also I'm wearing a cosplay police woman outfit. Send help.'_ Baz would have a bloody field day.

The Doctor - if it was the Doctor and not a trick of her mind - was lying chained to a radiator. It was one way to stop him running away to his silly blue box again. (That box was outside again. She had checked.)

The Doctor started to stir so Penny quickly turned away. She didn't want him to recognise her. The radio was made of plastic but the mad man didn't exactly know that.

"Umm, breaking and entering." Out of the corner of her eye, Penny could see him starting to sit up and rub his messy hair. He didn't look like he'd aged a day since he'd crashed into his house, even if that felt like a lifetime ago. "Send me back-up, Detective Snow."

"What's happening?"

Penny turned to glare at him. Simon said her glares could be murderous. _Good._

"You, sit still. I'm calling back up." Forget blogger, Penny could have been a great actress. It seemed to fool the Doctor at least, who luckily hadn't noticed her 'uniform' was actually a costume or that she was wearing yellow converses that probably were not part of standard police uniforms.

“I’m chained to a radiator,” the Doctor said, shaking his wrist.

"You were breaking and entering." Technically that part wasn't even a lie. The Doctor had burst into her house, calling her name like he hadn't made her wait over a decade for it.

"You whacked me on the head. That's the last thing I needed."

"Do you want to shut up now? I've got back up on the way." By backup, Penny meant an urgent text sent to Agatha. The Doctor didn't need to know the exact details of that part.

"Wait. You're a policewoman."

Penny rolled her eyes. "You're breaking and entering."

"What are you doing here?" The Doctor started looking around frantically. "Where is she?"

Penny missed a breath. "Who?"

"Penelope Bunce. Short, curly black hair? Lovely girl. Where is she?" Penny's closed her eyes and turned away. The Doctor was back for her. She had been waiting for that moment since she was eight.

"Where is she? I promised her five minutes." The Doctor continued asking questions. "Has something happened to her?"

"Penn- Penelope Bunce hasn't lived here in a long time,” Penny answered, looking at the floor. She was afraid of seeing the same wise eyes that she’d convinced herself weren’t real look back.

"Penelope's gone? Since when?"

"Six months." That was how long it took for Penny to give up. She'd asked everyone to call her Penny instead. 'Penelope' was just another reminder of her raggedy Doctor.

"No, I can't be six months late." The Doctor pulled on his wrist, trying to loosen the handcuff. "I said five minutes. I promised her five minutes."

Penny picked up the plastic radio. "The man has information on Penelope Bunce’s disappearance."

"What happened to her? What happened to Penelope? Tell me." The raggedy man was getting frantic.

Penny glared again and resisted the urge to let her scruffy trainer hit his shin (again). How. dare. he.

“Listen, listen,” the man pleaded, “I need to speak to whoever lives in this house right now. It’s an emergency.”

Prisoner Zero. Penny swallowed and stood her guard. “Lucky me.”

“You live here?” he asked. “But you're a police woman.”

“It pays well,” Penny replied dryly. “What’s the emergency?”

“I know you don’t have a reason to trust me-”

“Because of the breaking and entering of my house,” Penny deadpanned.

“Count the rooms on this floor,” the Doctor told her. “How many?”

Penny felt dread she hadn’t experienced in eleven years creep back. “Why?”

The Doctor was still trying to break free. “Because it will change your life.”

Penny didn’t even have to turn. “Five. My room, bathroom, office, two guest rooms.”

“No, six,” the Doctor corrected. “You’re not looking properly. You have to make yourself look where you never want to look. The corner of your eye. Look behind you.”

Penny slowly looked behind her, recounting. _Six._ “How is it possible?” she demanded. “What did you do?”

“Not me,” he protested, “something much worse. There’s a perception filter all round the door. Sensed it the last time I was here.”

“But, that's a whole room. That's a whole room I've never even noticed and I’ve lived her a long time. So, explain.”

Her phone buzzed but Penny ignored it. The Doctor had all her attention.

“That door isn’t meant to be there. You know that. Something bad came a long time ago to hide. So, you need to uncuff me now so I can help you.”

“Breaking and entering,” Penny repeated, irritated.

“There’s a secret door in your house and you’re getting caught up in some minor breaking and entering. That won’t help either of us.”

Penny inched towards the door and ignored his protests.

“Also, I lost the key. What’s in there?”

“That’s not safe for you to find out alone. Hey! Stay away from that door! Do not touch that door! It’s dangerous.”

Penny could handle danger. She pulled on the door handle and stepped into the sixth room.

 

* * *

 

The room was almost an anticlimax. It was dirty and dusty but _ordinary_. Almost disappointingly so. 

“Let me out!”

“Can’t,” Penny replied, “no key.”

“Where is my screwdriver?” he asked. “Hey, did you take it? Silver thing, blue at the end. Where did you put it?”

“I didn’t take it,” Penny said, “don’t worry. It’s empty in here.”

The Doctor groaned. “You’re still in danger!”

“I’m alone.”

“No, you’re not. Whatever's there stopped you seeing the room and it came to hide. It’s still hiding. Get out while you can. Why are you all so reckless?”

Penny spotted something that finally got her adrenaline running again. “I found it.”

“The creature?” The Doctor called back, “be careful.”

“A screwdriver you called it, right?” Penny picked it up, flinching as she touched the icy slime that was attaching it to the table. “It’s funny, it jumped up onto the table all by itself. Tell me that’s meant to be a feature.”

“Get out of there. Run! Please,” the Doctor begged.

Penny didn’t need to be told twice. Her skin prickled with goosebumps as she backed towards the door.

“I can sense it,” Penny called, hyper aware of the feeling of warm breath on the back of her neck.

“Don’t look at it directly but remember that trick with the corner of your eye?”

Penny nodded and glanced behind her. All she could make out were scales.

“Don’t turn round. If it knows you've seen it, it will kill you. Don't look at it directly.”

More warm breath.

Penny couldn’t help it, she twisted round and found herself looking into the snapping jaws of something definitely not human. She screamed and ran past the prisoner, throwing the Doctor his screwdriver.

“Do something!”

The Doctor freed himself and got up, placing himself in front of her.

“That door won’t hold it,” Penny said, trying to catch her breath.

“Good detective work. It's an interdimensional multiform from outer space. It’ll take a lot more than a door to stop it.”

“Then do something!”

A blinding light blinked threw the crack of the door.

“Oh no.”

Penny reached for her trusty bat. “What’s happening? You talk!”

“I’m free now,” the Doctor said, hitting his screwdriver against his leg.

“You’re welcome,” Penny said. “I noticed that.”

“Meaning you should leave,” the Doctor said firmly. “That’s dangerous.”

Penny waved her bat. “Well, I can handle it. You shouldn’t face that thing alone.”

“What about your back-up? I’ll be fine.”

Penny checked her phone; Agatha was still ten minutes away. “There is no back-up.”

“You called for back-up,” the Doctor pointed out.

“On a plastic radio!” Penny responded.

“I’m starting to think you’re a bad police officer.”

“I’m not a police officer, I'm a cosplayer!” Penny admitted, pulling off the hat and chucking it aside. Her messy hair fell down as she threw the plastic radio at the Doctor. “In my defence, you were breaking-”

“And entering, I know,” he said. “If there’s no back, you should definitely go.”

“I can handle-”

The door opened and Penny gripped her bat so hard her fingers started to ache. But it wasn’t the ugly alien that emerged. Just an ordinary man with an ordinary dog.

She sighed, relieved. “It left. Prisoner Zero left.”

“No, that is Prisoner Zero,” the Doctor said, “just look at them. One multiform, two faces. Look.”

He was right. Both the dogs and the man's face moved at the same time, scanning the hallway.

“That is Prisoner Zero. How did change it’s face? Can it hurt us?”

“That’s a good question. Where did you get the psychic link?” The man and dog barked. “You haven’t even done a good job, bit of a rush.”

“It can’t hurt us in that form, can it?”

The man opened his mouth into a knife-like grin, answering her question.

“We’re safe.” The Doctor pointed at the prisoner. “We have back up.”

“No, we don’t. The back-up was my girlfriend.”

The Doctor groaned. “I know. That was a clever lie to save our lives.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s better we have no back-up. Look at us, we can’t hurt you-“

Penny scoffed. “Speak for yourself.”

“You’re not helping. Put down the bat.”

“Definitely not.”

The man (or prisoner?) growled.

“See, now I can’t talk is out if getting murdered.”

“Hence the bat!”

A voice Penny used to have nightmares about filled the halls with echoes of the same message. “Attention, Prisoner Zero. The human residence is surrounded.”

“By what? Who was that?” Penny asked, looking around for the source of the booming voice.

The Doctor threw up the radio and caught it. “Well officer… costumes-dot-com, that would be our back-up.”

“Is back-up bad or good?” Penny asked, “I lost track.”

“Good. We’re safe.”

“Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence or the human residence will be incinerated.”

“Did he say ‘ _incinerated_ ’? I just got house insurance.”

“As I said, very safe. Minus the, you know, incineration. But, hey, means trouble for you too! Ha!” the Doctor grinned with childish joy. “But first, you, _run_.”

The message repeated. It seemed to be coming from inside the walls: “Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence or the human residence will be incinerated.”

“Did you say something about running?”

The Doctor grabbed her hand and they pushed past a momentarily distracted Prisoner Zero to rush down the stairs. It was just like every dream her therapist had told her wasn’t real; Penny kinda loved the adrenaline rush.

 

* * *

 

“I can’t believe that you hit me with a bat! You’d get along with Jackie like a house on fire. Although, given the whole ‘human residence will be incinerated’ thing, poor taste?”

“You broke into my house. I was very startled. Don’t startle a Bu- woman with a bat.”

“Can you put that down actually?” The Doctor grabbed the bat and threw it into the garden.

Penny frowned. “What’s going on with that aliens?”

The Doctor kept a quick pace. “Basically, there’s alien convict is hiding in your spare room in a disguise and some other aliens are about to incinerate your house. Do you have any more questions?”

Penny had to jog to keep up: he had longer legs then her. “Who answer no to that?”

She froze as they approached a familiar box. Penny has spent her entire childhood being teased by her siblings over that box and her so called imaginary friend. An imaginary Doctor - a raggedy Doctor and his police box. But, it was real. It was in front of her.

And it was locked. “No! She’s not letting us in!”

“Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence or the human residence will be incinerated.”

Penny pulled on his sleeve. “We should find somewhere safe to make a new plan. I’m sure I could find a chalkboard somewhere.”

The Doctor was fixated on a different type of wooden box now. “There’s a shed.”

“Yeah.”

“But, I ruined Penelope’s shed. Meant to fix it but the sonic doesn’t do wood. This is new.”

“Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence or the human residence will be incinerated.”

“Hear that? ‘Incinerated’. Let’s go.”

“Wait.”

Penny was sick of waiting for him. “Wait for what? Can gardening tools help stop the prisoner in my house?”

“You lied.”

Penny swallowed anxiously. “How? It’s just a shed.”

“It’s a new shed but it’s old - ten years old at least. No, eleven years.” The Doctor touched the wood and frowned. “Penelope! I'm not six months late for her, I'm eleven years late.”

Penny was glad for her new glasses and purple hair. “We should go.”

“Why did you lie about six months?”

“There’s no time. It doesn’t matter.”

The Doctor gripped her wrist and studied her face carefully. Penny held her nerves and stared back. So old, so wise - he must be about to work it out.

“Of course this matters. You lied. Why lie! This is important; why did you say six months?”

Penny snatched her arm back and let out a yell. “Why did you say five minutes?”


	3. The Day We Die

“Why did you say five minutes?” 

Penny covered her mouth and turned away. She hadn’t meant to blurt out that part, but her anger had bubbled to the surface and she’d given in. 

The Doctor was stood still, staring at her like it was the first time he’d actually noticed her since he’d broken in earlier. “Are you-” 

Penny felt her skin flush under his gaze. “Come on.” 

The Doctor overtook in a few long strides and caught Penny by the shoulders. “You said that you lived at that house for a long time? How long?” 

“Twelve years,” Penny admitted. She crossed her arms defencily and then curled her hands into fists. “Twelve bloody years!” 

“You are Penelope Bunce.” 

Penny crossed her arms, pushed up on her heels and stared him down. “You’re late, Doctor.”

“You’re Penelope Bunce!” The Doctor touched the spot on his head where the bat had impacted. “You hit me with a cricket bat!” 

“And you're late. So, we’re even. Also I kicked you a few times. Sorry for the bruises on your shin.” 

“You're the little girl I helped,” the Doctor said, with a sense of guilt.  _ Bloody brilliant.  _

“Yes, I'm Penelope Bunce and you're late. So very helpful of you,” Penny snarked, biting back the urge to scream. 

“You’re ginger now.” 

Penny pulled on a strand of her hair. (Agatha kept saying that she should use a better shampoo. Or any product. Probably one with a pink label.) 

“I liked the change.”

“What happened to you? You were so clever. You wanted to be a scientist.” 

Penny gritted her teeth, irritated. “I’m still- I’m clever. Just because a girl can swing a cricket bat, doesn’t mean she’s not clever. I’m studying political science. And I don’t know why I’m telling you this.” 

“You trust me. That’s why.” 

Penny froze and turned around to stare at him. “Wrong! I trusted you eleven years ago and then you broke a promise and made my friends, family and four psychiatrists think I was crazy. That I made you up!” 

“Four?” he repeated. 

“I kept making them cry. I can be mean.” 

“Why?” 

“They kept saying that you weren't real. I was scared I would start to believe that too. So, explain to me what kept you so busy that it was eleven years. Because I can’t think of anything.” 

Before he could reply, a nearby tune from Ebb’s ice cream truck warped into something else: “Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence or the human residence will be incinerated.”   
  
“How is that there?” 

“Penelope dear! Wait.” 

Ebb Petty was more of Simon’s friend then hers, but still greeted her cheerily. “Penny, got any theories for this?” 

“Why are you playing that?” the Doctor asked, scanning the truck. 

“I’m not,” Ebb said, frowning. “Who’s this Penny?” 

“Old friend,” she answered.

The message wasn’t just coming from Ebb’s truck: it was repeated from all phones, radios and TVs. “Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence or the human residence will be incinerated. Repeat. Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence or the human residence will be incinerated.” 

“Did she call you ‘Penny’?” 

“Can we focus on Prisoner Zero?” Penny asked. “I don’t want to see any of Watford incinerated.” 

“What do I call you?” the Doctor asked. 

Penny shook her head. “You can- Nothing. Once you stop the world from ending, then you leave and you are not my friend.” 

“Penelope-” he started, scrambling after her, “wait!” 

 

* * *

“Hi Daphne,” Penny pulled on her short skirt and tried to act as if it was normal for her to visit her friends gothic mansion in a police uniform. “This is my… um friend. He’s an expert in technology.” 

The Doctor nodded and scanned the tv which was blasting the same message as every other device in Watford. “We’re here for the television.” 

Daphne nodded politely. “The children are quite upset by the message. Is this normal?” 

“No,” Penny answered, “really not normal. Has Baz looked at anything for you?” 

“He’s busy upstairs,” Daphne replied, which most likely meant Simon was there with him. Perfect - as if the day could get any worse. 

“Have we met?” Daphne asked, frowning at the Doctor’s tattered clothes as he buzzed at the tv with his screwdriver. 

“No. New face.” 

“Oh,” she replied. “Penelope, is that your… raggedy Doctor?” 

“I wouldn’t say raggedy,” he protested. 

“Basilton always mentioned your stories when you were younger,” Daphne continued, “but I never thought he was real…” 

“It’s that kind of day,” Penny replied. She glanced at the Doctor. “What are you looking for?” 

“I have news.” 

“Good news?” 

“No. We have about twenty minutes until it will have enough power to blow us up.” 

“Oh my,” Daphne said. She disappeared out of the lounge to call for Baz.  _ Great _ . 

“So, what can we do?” Penny asked. “Twenty minutes could be enough time to save Watford.” 

“Well, there’s more not good news for you.” 

“God, give me a break.” 

“Penny,” Simon said, and she audibly sighed. Of all the houses, it was the one with her two best friends in. “What’s going on?” 

Baz followed him; he was flattening his long hair down and looked flushed. Gross. 

“Are you the Doctor?” 

“Yes,” Penny answered, “the towns about to blow up Baz. Get some perceptive.” 

“The town is about to what?” he repeated, reaching for Simon’s hand automatically. “Bunce, explain.” 

The Doctor coughed, “the not good news I mentioned? When the guards say the human residence. They're not talking about your house or town, they mean the whole planet.” 

Penny closed her eyes. “So, what you mean is there is twenty minutes to the end of the world?” 

_ “Nineteen minutes.”  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback encouraged!


	4. The Day We Found The Truth

Baz and Simon followed them out of the house and into the street. 

“Bunce, explain.” 

“I don’t have any answers either,” Penny said, “he showed up and I hit him with a bat and now the world is ending via a giant eye trying to find Prisoner Zero.” 

Baz sighed. “That really explains nothing to us.” 

“Prisoner Zero lived in the crack in Penny’s wall,” Simon said, “I mean not really, because it was just a story, but so was he. Her raggedy Doctor.” 

“Enough with the ‘raggedy’ now.” 

Baz grabbed her arm. “Listen, Bunce, if you’re in some kind of trouble, we can help you. But, this is a joke. The world isn’t ending. Things like that don’t just happen. The world doesn’t just… end in real life.” 

Simon pulled Baz off her and pointed upwards. “Explain that then Baz.” 

Above them, a sinister black disk was slowly covering the sun, like a total eclipse above them. 

Simon turned to the Doctor. “What's wrong with the sun?” 

He scanned it with the screwdriver again. “Nothing. You're looking at it through a forcefield because they've sealed off your upper atmosphere.” 

“To blow us up,” Baz finished, “Bunce, seriously is this a prank?” 

“I wish.” 

“They’re taking photos,” Simon said, bringing everyone's attention to the fact half of Watford had their phones pointed at the sky. The rest - she presumed - were hiding. “It’s the end of the world and everyone's filming the sky.” 

“Not everyone,” the Doctor said and took off running. 

The three of them exchanged looks and chased after the Doctor who was running onto the grass towards a familiar face. 

“Is that Wellbelove?”

“The sun's going out, and you're photographing a man and a dog. Why?” 

“Agatha!” Penny threw herself into the arms of her very confused girlfriend. “Listen, the world is ending soon, please answer his questions.” 

“I will, I will,” Agatha promised, holding onto Penny’s waist tightly. “Wait no, that is the Doctor. Like, in real life.” 

“Yes, it is so complicated, you would not even believe it.” Penny turned to face the Doctor. “This is Agatha, she’s my girl-” 

“You’re not explaining anything Pen. The Doctor is somehow here. But, he was a story. He was a game. He was imaginary. Is this why you sent me a weird text about back up?” 

“She was your first choice?” Baz asked. “Bunce, you’ve known us longer-” 

“Back off, she’s my girlfriend, okay?” 

“You,” the Doctor interrupted, pointing at Agatha, “Man and dog. Phone. Why? Tell me now.” 

“I’m sorry it’s just the whole thing is a bit distracting. He can't be there. Because he's my neighbour who’s definitely in a hospital, in a coma.” 

The Doctor dropped his hand, seemingly satisfied by her answer. “I knew it. Prisoner Zero us a multiform, you see? Disguise itself as anything, but it needs a life feed. A psychic link with a living but dormant mind.” 

“I’m sorry,” Agatha said softly, “There's a Prisoner Zero too? Penny, what is happening to you? To us?” 

“The real question,” Simon cut in, “is what will happen to us in twenty minutes.” 

“Twenty minutes,” the Doctor repeated, “I can do it. Look, you lot in twenty minutes, the planet will burn. Run to your loved ones and say goodbye - or stay and help me.” 

“We’ll help,” Simon promised. 

“Will we?” Agatha repeated doubtfully. She looked at Penny’s anxious face and nodded. “Yeah, I will help.” 

“Who are you really?” Baz pressed on, “how can we trust you?” 

“Because she does.” 

Penny bit her lip. “I don’t. Baz is right - how am I meant to trust you after all these years. You can’t even keep a promise about being gone for five minutes.” 

He reached out but Penny stepped backwards into Agatha’s arms. 

“Look at the sky. End of the world, twenty minutes, remember?” She stood her ground until he reached into his jacket and threw her a little red ball. 

“I thought you lost that,” Simon said, given it was his in the first place. 

“Me too.” 

“I'm the Doctor. I'm a time traveller. Everything I told you all of those years ago was true. I'm real and I’m here to help you. What's happening in the sky is real, and if you don't let me go right now, everything you've ever known is over. Help me or don’t. But what good will questions do?” 

“Penny?” Simon asked, “is it enough?” 

“Yeah, I trust him.” 

“How can we stop the Earth blowing up?” Baz asked. “I would rather not die today.” 

The Doctor pointed as a ship whizzed past them. “See, that ship up there is scanning this area for non-terrestrial technology. And nothing says non-terrestrial like a sonic screwdriver.” 

“A sonic what?” 

He smirked, like a child showing off a new toy. Chaos: street lights burst, showering glass fragments everywhere. Car alarms blared, almost louder than the message about Prisoner Zero. Cars drove themself down the streets at full speed.   
  
“I think someone's going to notice all that.”  

Penny ducked to avoid an out of control scooter. “And?” 

“Find Prisoner Zero.” 

“The man and dog was Prisoner Zero? Because, they both just sort of melted and went down the drain.” 

“Oh no. So, what do we do now Doctor?” 

The Doctor scanned the drain. “It’s gone now so we need to drive it into the open.” 

“But, how?” 

 

 

“That… is a good question.” The Doctor pulled on his hair and did a spin. “Plan… we need a plan. You!”

“Agatha,” she corrected. 

“The photos on your phone, are they all of the coma patients that you’ve seen around?” 

She passed it to him. “Yeah. Does it help?” 

The Doctor smiled at her. “Yes! Very helpful. This has the eight disguises that we know are Prisoner Zero. Very handy if you’re trying to find him. She’s very smart, good choice Penelope.” 

Penny felt herself blush. “Agatha is great… yeah.” 

Baz rolled his eyes. “Is now really the time? World ending.”

“Right, you vampire boy - laptop! I need a laptop.” 

“We can get one,” Simon agreed. 

“Perfect. I need to write a reset command to resets counters. It gets in the wifi and resets every counter it can find. Clocks, calendars, anything with a chip will default at zero at exactly the same time. That should make a big sign to show where Prisoner Zero is. But, someone has to talk to the most important people. Convince them.” 

Baz and Simon nodded at each other. “No pressure.” 

“You will be… magnificent. Trust me.” The Doctor turned to the girls. “You two, Penelope, Agatha, get to the hospital. Get everyone out of that ward. Clear the whole floor.” 

Agatha reached for her hand. “Got it. Come on Penny, we can use my car.” 

“Doctor, honestly, how sure are you that we can keep the Earth in tact?” 

“Fairly?” He didn’t sound convincing. “I haven’t let the Earth burn yet in 900 years. You have to trust me Penelope Bunce.” 


	5. The Day Prisoner Zero Left

There was police tape around the hospital ward where Agatha had seen the real coma patients. The good news was the ward had already been cleared out. The bad news was they needed to get through. 

“Pen,” Agatha gripped her arm, “I have a bad feeling. Doesn’t it seem to quiet for a hospital?” 

“Maybe,” she answered. 

“This whole thing is too weird,” Agatha said, “I mean how often does an imaginary friend come to life? I always hoped this wouldn’t happen.” 

“No one wants the world to die Aggie,” Penny answered, slipping into a familiar nickname, “not even Baz and he’s an edgelord.”

“I meant the Doctor. We were eleven when we met and somehow part of you still believed in that raggedy man. That he would fly you far away from Watford. From anywhere. I was scared that you would leave me behind.” 

Penny watched Agatha’s face carefully. “Look at me. I’m not going anywhere with him. Mostly because the world will end in like ten minutes.” 

“And if the world doesn’t end?” Agatha asked shyly.

“Then I will stay with you. I promise I won’t go.” 

Agatha smiled finally - she had resting angel face and Penny loved it. “I promise too. Now, want to sneak into this hospital ward with me?” 

Penny took her hand and lifted up the police tape for them to duck under. They meant business. 

The coma ward was a completely destructed, with bed sheets and medical equipment thrown around in a mess. It was clear that Prisoner Zero had beaten them there. 

“It’s dangerous then?” Agatha noted, anxiousness seeping from her words. 

“Hello officer,” a woman in a nightdress said. On each hand, a little girl with matching blank expressions on their faces stared at them. Agatha stepped back a little.

“What happened?” 

The woman pointed at a window. A moment later, her two daughters copied her. “There was a man and a big dog. It was so violent and now we think Doctor Ramsden's dead.” 

“Penny, it killed someone,” Agatha hissed. 

She took out her phone and dialled Agatha’s number, given the Doctor had her phone, wherever he was. 

“We’re in the ward-” 

“Great!” 

“But so's Prisoner Zero.” 

The Doctor tone was suddenly serious. “Penelope, you need to get out of there.”    
  
The biggest daughter continued to explain the attack - but not in a child's voice but her mothers. “Where did he go, did you see? Has he gone? Are we safe yet?”

Agatha pulled on Penny’s arm. “Let’s investigate then officer? You, you stay here so we’re safe. I mean, so you’re safe.” 

All three mouths laughed mockingly. “I'm getting it wrong again, aren't I? I'm always doing that when there is this many mouths.”    


Agatha pulled on her arm again. “Penny, it’s Prisoner Zero. And it’s got pointy teeth.” 

Penny held the phone up to her ear as they sprinted into the corridor and pushed things against it. “Doctor, it’s here. It’s in the ward. Help us.”    
  
“Which window?” 

“First floor, on the left, fourth from the end.” 

“What is?” Agatha asked. 

“The window. But, that is the last of our problems Aggie.” 

She was right, Prisoner Zero had finally got through and was staring at them through three pairs of eyes. “I've watched you grow up. You never even knew I was there. You were always waiting for your magic Doctor to return.” 

“We don’t need the Doctor,” Penny replied.

“We don’t?” Agatha repeated. “It has knife teeth.” 

Penny’s phone lit up with a text from the Doctor. “Aggie, duck.”

“What?” 

Penny threw her arm around Agatha’s slender shoulders and pulled her down, just as the window behind them broke. 

“Not too late, am I?” The Doctor asked. 

“Three minutes.” 

“Brilliant.” He turned to Prisoner Zero. “Take the disguise off. They already have your disguise. Just go, so no one else is hurt now.” 

Prisoner Zero shook all of their heads. “I will die this time and I am to die, let there be fire.” 

“You came to this world by opening a crack in space and time. Do it again. Just leave this planet and its people alone.” 

“I did not open the crack. There has always been cracks in the skin of the universe, don't you know where they came from? You don't, do you? Such a wise time lord not knowing how or why the universe is cracked.” 

“Two minutes,” Penny updated, “Doctor, how sure are you this will work?” 

“Look at that!” The Doctor pointed at the clock, which was filled with zeroes. “Do you know what's happening right now? In one little bedroom, my team are working. And do you know what they're doing? They're spreading the word all over the world, quantum fast. The word is out. And do you know what the word is? The word is Zero. Now, me, if I was up in the sky in a battleship, monitoring all Earth communications, I'd probably take that as a hint. And if I had a whole battle fleet surrounding the planet, I'd be able track a simple old computer virus to its source in, what, under a minute? The source, by the way, is right here.” He held up Agatha’s phone. “Check mate.”

Prisoner Zero snarled. “The Atraxi are limited. While I'm in this form, they'll still be unable to detect me. They've only tracked a phone, not me.” 

“This is my favourite bit of the plan. Do you know what this phone is full of? Pictures of you. Every form you've learned to take, right here. Ooo, and being uploaded about now. And the final score is, no Tardis, no screwdriver, two minutes to spare.”

Agatha looked up. “Pen, we’re not going to die!” 

“I shall take a new form.”

The Doctor laughed. “It takes months to form that kind of psychic link.” 

Penny suddenly felt her vision blurring. 

“I've had years.” 

“Pen,” Agatha said, catching her arm as she fell. “Penny!” 

The hospital ward disappeared. Words of Agatha and Doctor blurred into white noise. 

“Don't sleep! You've got to stay awake - please - Penelope - stay awake.” 

“Help her - help Penny!” 

Her own voice echoed around her head, saying cruel mocking things she didn’t remember. 

But everything was dark. 

“Penelope, don't just hear me, listen.” The Doctor’s voice. Her raggedy Doctor’s voice. “Remember the room, the room in your house you couldn't see. Remember you went inside. I tried to stop, but you did. You went in the room. You went inside. Amy, dream about what you saw. You saw Prisoner Zero.” 

Someone was screaming - maybe Agatha - and Penny wanted to help. But her head was so heavy and she was so tired.

“Prisoner Zero is located. Prisoner Zero is restrained.” 

“Penny,” Agatha was shaking her and her voice was clearer now, and guiding. “Pen. Penny! She’s awake!” Agatha cupped her face and kissed her. “Are you okay?”

Penny nodded. “I just feel a bit hazy. What just happened?” 

“The Doctor saved us. Prisoner Zero is gone for good.” 

“Great,” Penny replied. She let Agatha guide up so she was standing up. “Wait. What are you doing?” 

“Tracking the signal back.” 

“Why?”

The Doctor held the phone to his ear. “Article fifty seven of the Shadow Proclamation. This is a fully established level five planet, and you were going to burn it? What? Did you think no-one was watching? You lot, back here, now.” 

  
“He just saved the world from aliens and now he’s bringing all the aliens back again?” 

“Why is that?” Penny pressed, “hey, where are you going?”    
  
“The roof. No, hang on, I need a shirt.” 

“We’re following him now?” Agatha asked, “Pen, he just bought the aliens back. And now he wants a new shirt.”    
  


 

* * *

 

The Doctor strode out in a new shirt with several ties draped around his neck. Penny and Agatha followed him. 

The ship was above them, whirling. 

“So this was a good idea, was it? They were leaving,” Penny asked. “And you can make them leave again?” 

“Even better. I can make sure they never come back.” 

A whirling eyeball dropped from the shop in front of them. “You are not of this world.” 

“It’s protected,” the Doctor replied, “it’s important.” 

“How is this world important?” 

“Rude,” Agatha muttered. 

“Six billion people live here. Is that important? Here's a better question. Is this world a threat to the Atraxi? Well, come on. You're monitoring the whole planet. Is this world a threat?” 

A hologram, straight out of a sci-fi movie of the Earth spinning flickered between them. 

“This world is no threat.” 

The Doctor chucked a few ties behind him, worryingly casually. “Is this world protected? Because you're not the first lot to come here. Oh, there have been so many others. You’re intelligent, so what you've got to ask is, what happened to them?” 

A flicker of images of different men projected. The same man, Penny guessed, the Doctors of the past. 

Her Doctor, her raggedy Doctor now I’m a new jacket and bow tie stepped forward and smiled. “Hello. I'm the Doctor. Basically, run.” 

That was all it took - a few simple words - and the ship whizzed away. 

“Is that it?” Agatha asked. “Is that them gone for good? Who were they? Doctor!” 

He had already taken off running. 

“No!” Penny yelled, turning sharply and threw herself down the stairs. “Raggedy man! Come back!” 

She was too late; he was already gone. 

“It’s okay,” Agatha whispered, curled next to her. She stroked Penny’s hair and held on to her. “Today is the day we saved the world. Forget him. You’re the only hero I need.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one chapter left! 
> 
> Let me know what you thought!


	6. The Day We Ran Away

Penny had given up again until she heard a familiar wheeze of the strange blue box in her garden once more. She convinced herself she had dreamt the noise until Agatha who had sleeping on her stomach stirred. 

“What’s that noise?” 

“You heard that too?” Penny asked eagerly. “Aggie, Aggie, it’s him!”

“Who?” 

“The Doctor.” 

Penny slid out of bed, ignoring her girlfriends protesting. She threw open the curtains and spotted the blue box sitting in their garden. 

“You’re not going outside are you?” Agatha asked, rolling over, “Penny! It’s 2am.” 

“It’s him. You have to understand that I’ve always wanted this.”    


“What about us? What about tomorrow?” Agatha asked, grabbing Penny’s arm. “You’re not even dressed.” 

“I won’t leave without you,” Penny promised softly. “But, I have to see him. I have to!” 

“Penny! Penelope!” 

The Doctor was stood outside the TARDIS. He smiled as Penny approached him, in Sherlock pajamas and a denim jacket. 

“Sorry about running off earlier. Brand new Tardis. Bit exciting. Just had a quick hop to the moon and back to run her in.” 

Penny smiled. “I can’t believe you came back.” She hit him. “That’s for the wait, you prick.” 

“Wait?” 

“Six months,” Penny replied. 

“I always come back. Was I really six months this time?” 

“No,” Penny replied, “it was actually three years. Three bloody years waiting.” 

“I’m sorry,” he said, “like I said, new TARDIS.” 

Penny shook her head. “Someone should take that thing away from you. Why did you keep the clothes?” 

“Penelope!” 

Agatha, much better dressed than her, ran down the garden. 

“You kept the girlfriend? Well, I just saved the world so, yes I kept the clothes.” 

“But the bow tie-” 

“Pen, what are you doing?” Agatha asked, huffing in a way that was equally dramatic and attractive. She had clearly practised. “I mean really. And what are you doing? Trying to steal my fiance in the middle of the night in a stupid bow tie. What are you, from another planet?” 

He nodded, looking slightly sheepish at her words. “Yes.” 

Agatha was suddenly silent. “Oh.”

“So, would you want to check some out? Other planets.” 

“Why?” Penny asked. “It’s taken you fourteen years. How do I know you won't just forget me on Mars or something.” 

“Penelope Bunce, I never forgot about you. The hospital, the spaceships, Prisoner Zero - that can just be the start of so many more adventures.” 

“Penny, you promised you wouldn’t leave me.” 

She turned. “I won’t Aggie. But, come on. Don’t you want to see a library and a swimming pool in the little blue box that’s bigger on the inside?” 

The Doctor frowned. “How did you know that part?” 

“I’m very smart.” 

“Penelope has a good argument. Do you want to come in?” He clicked and the doors opened. 

Agatha followed them in. She reached for Penny’s hand. “I’m in a spaceship.”    
  
The Doctor played with his bow tie. It reminded her of Simon when he first got clothes other than trackie bottoms. “So, all of time and space, everything that ever happened or ever will Where do you want to start?” 

“Do you want me to come?” Penny asked. “You won’t make me wait anymore?” 

“You’ve waited long enough.” 

“Can she come too?” Penny asked, squeezing Agatha’s hand. “I’m not leaving her behind.” 

“There’s enough space for three.” 

“More importantly,” Agatha continued, “can you get us back for tomorrow morning?” 

“It's a time machine. I can get you back five minutes ago. Why, what's tomorrow?” 

Agatha gave her a look. Penny made a quick decision to not mention their wedding. 

“Nothing for you to worry about.” 

“Great! I can get you home for tomorrow. Hand on my hearts.” 

“Hearts? Plural?” 

“Long story.” 

Penny dropped into a chair. “I can’t believe this.”

The Doctor smiled, pressing buttons. “Why not? 

“I started to think that maybe you were just like a madman with a box.” 

“There's something you'd better understand about me, because it's important, and one day your life may depend on it. I am definitely a madman with a box.” 

“Does that make me a mad women?” Penny asked. “Brillant.” 

“So, everything that ever was. Where do we start?” 

**Author's Note:**

> This has been sitting in my notes since forever so I'm finally publishing it in the hopes it'll help me escape my writing slump. 
> 
> Comments are appreciated!   
> (Tumblr - @bazwillendinflames)


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